Belgium Urges Residents to Eat More Fries
as COVID-19 Causes Massive Potato Surplus Belgium’s potato industry has recently called upon
citizens to increase their intake of fries to at least twice
a week in order to prevent food waste in the country. 750,000 tons of potatoes are reportedly at
risk of being thrown away due to the country’s
COVID-19 government-enforced lockdown. According to Romain Cools, Secretary General
of Belgapom, the issue largely comes down to
a fall in demand for frozen potato products. The frozen potato sector reportedly accounts
for 75 percent of Belgium’s potato processing and
as inventories require less refreshing, sales drop. However, Cools believes citizens can help “avoid food waste”
by purchasing and consuming more frozen fries. He hopes to form partnerships with
supermarkets in the country because
“every lost potato is a loss.” Romain Cools, via MSN In addition, Cools noted that unprocessed potatoes
were being sent to food banks and exported to places
experiencing shortages in Central Europe and Africa. Romain Cools, via MSN
